Tricks and Tips

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ceandersen
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by ceandersen »

agandaur88 wrote:DLC 45 west third scenario
but that V rockets you're talking about?
ThvN
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by ThvN »

Any V-weapons placed on the map cannot be transferred to the next scenario, I believe.
agandaur88
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by agandaur88 »

Aha ok tnx, than I have some serious fire power, like that time when I assaulted Sevastopol :D
ceandersen
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by ceandersen »

Nice surprise to get this topic! Congratulations on design, very good!
imperatorknight
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by imperatorknight »

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the tips. They're all great :-)
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carlisimo
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by carlisimo »

What’s the best way to fight naval battles? If I have submarines I hold them back, as well as a couple of destroyers to attack opposing subs, and I focus on enemy destroyers first. But if you don’t have submarines, do you start by attacking the largest ships, or the smallest? Or if you do have submarines and you’ve started by destroying their destroyer screen, do you then go after their battleships or their cruisers?

Whichever it is, I like to take them down to strength 4 or so before moving on to the next capital ship, instead of completely destroying them. It isn’t practical to heal ships, after all.

For those of us playing on the iPad with its incomplete documentation – tactical bombers are great against submarines. Only them and destroyers can touch them.
ThvN
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by ThvN »

Naval battles can be really tricky, but I have tried some strategies and your suggestion to take out destroyers first when you have submarines is a good idea which I've used myself. It works well when you have room to withdraw: you engage the destroyers with the capital ships and sail away out of spotting/movement range. This way you have more time and can concentrate your fire on fewer ships. The downside is that enemy ships can use that time to attack ground units.

I have another reason for taking out destroyers: they have spotting 2 (strangely the battlecruisers too). The rest of the surface ships have spotting 1 which makes them more vulnerable to ambush tactics and you can spot them while they can't see you coming.

I see the capital ships as two groups: the cruisers have range 4, and the battleship/battlecruiser have range 5. So if I have a range 5 ship, I'll try to move out of range of enemy cruisers before targetting them. This means the cruisers can't return fire.

Taking out enemy submarines can be frustrating because of the 'Evades' that can ruin good tactics. So I never rely on a few ships to deal with them, I go for them early in a turn with as many ships as I can and if I destroy it the rest of the anti-sub ships can be used elsewhere. Since the subs are slow I can usually predict where they can be after I first spot one.

Overall, the best weapon in naval battles is a strategic bomber with good naval attack.
shawkhan
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by shawkhan »

Tactical bombers against subs work well too.
giantemu
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by giantemu »

for me fighters work well against destroyers n capital ships too...
Schneides42
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by Schneides42 »

In naval battles, I try to keep my destroyers and submarines together to avoid any the sub in particular getting surrounded. I also tend to attack the strongest of any class I am targeting (ie rather than attack the strongest class first) and don't try to kill one completely but spread the damage around all of the units (as they can't reform any subsequent attack will be less effective).

I tend to send the destroyers against other destroyers and any subs (but also send as much air support as I can to join the attacks) and leave my capital ships to focus on the other capital ships. I try to get my sub in to strike at the capital ships as well but this tends to happen only if I can get the sub in position to ambush the Cruisers and Battleships.
carlisimo
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by carlisimo »

Thanks, guys.

How about the battle for air supremacy? If you and the AI have similar numbers of fighters, do you go after them en masse? In particular I’m thinking of Overlord in the default Wehrmacht campaign. Lots of Allied fighters of different types, and 3-6 will often group together over a specific city before Turn 1 starts. I don’t have a lot of experienced fighters, so in most cases I’m going to take as much damage as I give.
Schneides42
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by Schneides42 »

For campaigns when the enemy has more aircraft. I am not sure who first posted this strategy to the forums but it is certainly one that I have adopted, I tend to weaken as many units as possible as the subsequent attack tends not to be as coordinated as they were initially.
Molve
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by Molve »

At least against the computer the real trick is not letting it know where your units are.

The thing is to make the AI spend its attacks on the targets YOU want. (This is true for all combat, but generally only worth the fuss with naval combat involving relatively few units)

It's much better the AI attacks a destroyer, PI boat or light cruiser than denting your main force (heavy cruisers and battleships).

You yourself focus on making attacks where you outrange the opponent and/or where you make attacks "out of the fog" (from the AI's perspective). In some cases, you can even see the stupid AI attack some infantry you're leaving as bait even while you kill him "from behind"...

---

Of course all of this assumes a purely naval battle. If you have aircraft that is usually a much better quicker and cheaper way to destroy enemy ships - few ships of the era (and theatre) has any real air defense to speak of. In those scenarios it's often convenient to leave the enemy fleet to your bombers and use your ships for something more worthwhile, like bombing the crap out of coastal defenses...

...in other scenarios, it's the complete opposite. Remember that your navy is, when push comes to shove, expendable: ships do not take and hold primary objectives. In some (rare) scenarios it's much better to sacrifice your ships by letting the enemy focus on sinking them, while you do something even more important (which usually is one of three things: gaining air superiority (better enemy air shoots at your ships than your fighters), making sure an amphibious invasion force comes ashore unscathed, or making sure an enemy amphibious force does not come ashore unscathed.
PzB74
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by PzB74 »

Playing the 39-40-41 campaigns with transferred core forces for the first time, now in Smolensk.
Have bought a large core force; 37 units + 3 SE units and got ca 7k prestige.

Question: Is it better to save as much prestige as possible or build a buffer or experienced core units?

In the easy 41-42 battles (Colonel level) I can play with only half of my experienced core units and train new ones.
Takes only 2 scenarios to make a 2 star 12 strength core unit. Come 43-44-45 my theory is that I need both prestige and a large and varied reserve of core units.
Having a host of "expendable" 12-13 strength Gebirgsjaeger, Kavallery and Krads that could take cheap green replacements would preserve the high value units.

No longer using my Pz38(t) tanks with 3.5 stars and battle heroes; building up my captured and new vehicles instead.
There is no reason to upgrade the Pz38(t) either, cause I don't want to be stuck with PzIV tanks that needs another upgrade later on (Panther - Tiger).

Also; how much prestige would you recommend having saved up by the end of the 41-42 east campaigns?

PS! Wanna know the most annoying way to loose a core Bf109E with 3 stars and a battle hero?
- Forget to move it to the airport on the second to last turn without having saved for 18 turns (not a save game guy!.)
I dissappeared the same second as the decisive win was annunced and I could choose; replay the entire scenario or loose it :roll:
antoniocapo
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by antoniocapo »

If you forget to save after a disaster happens, usually you can reload the last Allies turn autosave (AI turn save -other way around Axis turn if you are the allies). Works most the time.
captainjack
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by captainjack »

Hi Hammer74.

I'm part way through 43 East and wishing I'd followed my own advice and developed more units to 2* in the early DLCs as you are doing. Later on, especially around about 43 or 44 you will be really pleased you have a good supply of 2* and 3* units that can be upgraded and put into action. New recruits often have a short lifespan when the enemy starts throwing hordes of 3* units at you.

You sound like you have a good plan for developing and upgrading units. As for how much prestige, that's partly a matter of play style and experience, but I find that there' is both opportunity and need for upgrading and overstrengthing in 43 East so it's helpful to have a good supply of prestige for that - personally I like around 35k or more at the start of 43, which should be manageable with a bit of care.

There are some good discussions in the forum specifically on managing prestige that may be helful. There are also some discussions that cover prestige mnanagement - a recent one on whether to use whether and when to use half tracks or trucks includes some comments that might help you use your prestige a bit more effectively. I'm no expert but I've got a lot better since reading other people's ideas.
Akopian
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by Akopian »

Level bombers are always best for winning a naval battle, but if they are not available, this is what I do.

In naval battles I target destroyers with my big guns and protect my subs. My destroyers go after their subs or very low health ships while screening my big ships and subs. Often I do not attack with the destroyers at all if there are no subs because the faster they die, the faster I lose my screen.

The screen is important to hide my big ships, protect subs, and give my ships space to adjust to circumstances. Also, if the enemy fleet is not close, my big ships can safely support ground troops while they wait.

Big ships attack first attack destroyers and target those with the most health first. See destroyers cannot shoot back when you attack them with the big ships. By eliminating all destroyers with big ships, it is as if their strength is halved in that they get to fire half as often. Also, they lose their screen so I can pick targets. The only exception is if I can attack with a longer range ship against a big ship (like battleship v light cruiser). I only do that if the battleship will in turn be safe from all other possible attacks. I want to preserve that battleship though for ground support.

Destroyers that have no subs to attack either only screen or attack low health ships. Seems like low health ships have a hard time doing much and get killed on their own when they attack so I will sometimes use a destroyer simply to remove a ship blocking my way with little risk to my screen.

On the other hand, if an opponent has a bunch of low health ships, it is harder to find space to attack one of your shops with many of their ships in unit strength terms. Three 2 health ships take up three times as much space as one 5 health ship. So if there are two spaces, And you compare three 2 health ships to one 5 health ship, only 4 health worth of ship can attack a target.

Therefore, I will look at the circumstances deciding if overcrowding will hamper my opponent or me before taking out low health ships.

Once enemy subs and destroyers are down, then I let the subs finish off the big ships and the naval battle is essentially over. Their big ships will sometimes attack my big ships which will fire back, and sometimes the enemy will waste fire on destroyers. My destroyers will,if there are entrenched coastal targets, attack those or attack the big ships. They just are not much use anymore so it is ok for some loss there. Meanwhile, my own big ships get to support the ground war. The only exception will be that I will eliminate an enemy big ship with my big ships if it is firing on my ground troops and the rest of the fleet cannot take care of it. The AI rarely does this anyway when there are naval targets, but sometimes it does and people do too.
BiteNibbleChomp
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by BiteNibbleChomp »

Hammer74 wrote:Playing the 39-40-41 campaigns with transferred core forces for the first time, now in Smolensk.
Have bought a large core force; 37 units + 3 SE units and got ca 7k prestige.

Question: Is it better to save as much prestige as possible or build a buffer or experienced core units?

In the easy 41-42 battles (Colonel level) I can play with only half of my experienced core units and train new ones.
Takes only 2 scenarios to make a 2 star 12 strength core unit. Come 43-44-45 my theory is that I need both prestige and a large and varied reserve of core units.
Having a host of "expendable" 12-13 strength Gebirgsjaeger, Kavallery and Krads that could take cheap green replacements would preserve the high value units.

No longer using my Pz38(t) tanks with 3.5 stars and battle heroes; building up my captured and new vehicles instead.
There is no reason to upgrade the Pz38(t) either, cause I don't want to be stuck with PzIV tanks that needs another upgrade later on (Panther - Tiger).

Also; how much prestige would you recommend having saved up by the end of the 41-42 east campaigns?

PS! Wanna know the most annoying way to loose a core Bf109E with 3 stars and a battle hero?
- Forget to move it to the airport on the second to last turn without having saved for 18 turns (not a save game guy!.)
I dissappeared the same second as the decisive win was annunced and I could choose; replay the entire scenario or loose it :roll:
At the end of GC41, I had 37k, and 42 I had 110k. Don't worry, you'll waste most of it at Kursk, before adjusting to a better strategy that you learn on the forums (or at least I did this). I you don't have an experienced army by mid-'43, surrender - there is no way to take the Red Horde on without it. I just set it to enemy 0% exp, me 200% xp, as well as an infinite number of advantages for me, and I'm still being screwed. Maybe I'll just time travel and fight the WWI Russians instead?

- BNC
Ryan O'Shea - Developer - Strategic Command American Civil War
Wellingham
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by Wellingham »

BiteNibbleChomp wrote:
Hammer74 wrote:Playing the 39-40-41 campaigns with transferred core forces for the first time, now in Smolensk.
Have bought a large core force; 37 units + 3 SE units and got ca 7k prestige.

Question: Is it better to save as much prestige as possible or build a buffer or experienced core units?

In the easy 41-42 battles (Colonel level) I can play with only half of my experienced core units and train new ones.
Takes only 2 scenarios to make a 2 star 12 strength core unit. Come 43-44-45 my theory is that I need both prestige and a large and varied reserve of core units.
Having a host of "expendable" 12-13 strength Gebirgsjaeger, Kavallery and Krads that could take cheap green replacements would preserve the high value units.

No longer using my Pz38(t) tanks with 3.5 stars and battle heroes; building up my captured and new vehicles instead.
There is no reason to upgrade the Pz38(t) either, cause I don't want to be stuck with PzIV tanks that needs another upgrade later on (Panther - Tiger).

Also; how much prestige would you recommend having saved up by the end of the 41-42 east campaigns?

PS! Wanna know the most annoying way to loose a core Bf109E with 3 stars and a battle hero?
- Forget to move it to the airport on the second to last turn without having saved for 18 turns (not a save game guy!.)
I dissappeared the same second as the decisive win was annunced and I could choose; replay the entire scenario or loose it :roll:
At the end of GC41, I had 37k, and 42 I had 110k. Don't worry, you'll waste most of it at Kursk, before adjusting to a better strategy that you learn on the forums (or at least I did this). I you don't have an experienced army by mid-'43, surrender - there is no way to take the Red Horde on without it. I just set it to enemy 0% exp, me 200% xp, as well as an infinite number of advantages for me, and I'm still being screwed. Maybe I'll just time travel and fight the WWI Russians instead?

- BNC
I hate Kursk.
~Ulisses Montagna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wanna be a Canis Ex Machina, but all I got is this Haunted Kriegsmaschine-9000, so I still need the Herzensbrecher and the Hundkopf!
BiteNibbleChomp
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Re: Tricks and Tips

Post by BiteNibbleChomp »

Wellingham wrote:
BiteNibbleChomp wrote:
Hammer74 wrote:Playing the 39-40-41 campaigns with transferred core forces for the first time, now in Smolensk.
Have bought a large core force; 37 units + 3 SE units and got ca 7k prestige.

Question: Is it better to save as much prestige as possible or build a buffer or experienced core units?

In the easy 41-42 battles (Colonel level) I can play with only half of my experienced core units and train new ones.
Takes only 2 scenarios to make a 2 star 12 strength core unit. Come 43-44-45 my theory is that I need both prestige and a large and varied reserve of core units.
Having a host of "expendable" 12-13 strength Gebirgsjaeger, Kavallery and Krads that could take cheap green replacements would preserve the high value units.

No longer using my Pz38(t) tanks with 3.5 stars and battle heroes; building up my captured and new vehicles instead.
There is no reason to upgrade the Pz38(t) either, cause I don't want to be stuck with PzIV tanks that needs another upgrade later on (Panther - Tiger).

Also; how much prestige would you recommend having saved up by the end of the 41-42 east campaigns?

PS! Wanna know the most annoying way to loose a core Bf109E with 3 stars and a battle hero?
- Forget to move it to the airport on the second to last turn without having saved for 18 turns (not a save game guy!.)
I dissappeared the same second as the decisive win was annunced and I could choose; replay the entire scenario or loose it :roll:
At the end of GC41, I had 37k, and 42 I had 110k. Don't worry, you'll waste most of it at Kursk, before adjusting to a better strategy that you learn on the forums (or at least I did this). I you don't have an experienced army by mid-'43, surrender - there is no way to take the Red Horde on without it. I just set it to enemy 0% exp, me 200% xp, as well as an infinite number of advantages for me, and I'm still being screwed. Maybe I'll just time travel and fight the WWI Russians instead?

- BNC
I hate Kursk.
So do I. What I hate more is Korsun Pocket and Beaches of Normandy (I basically threw the entire Allied force [save Utah and Sword beach] back into the ocean (or more accurately killed them) and I still have to fight on. Oh wait, I stooped playing and started making GC14 at that point

- BNC
Ryan O'Shea - Developer - Strategic Command American Civil War
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